Thursday, September 25, 2008

SCRIPTURE: "The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee." Jeremiah 31:3 (KJV) "Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love;"

God's love is like Himself: Sovereign, Unchangeable, andEverlasting. He says, "I have loved thee". Think of it! The AlmightyGod, the Creator of the ends of the Earth, the King of kings andLord of lords; The God of infinite purity and holiness; He who doeswhatever He pleases both in heaven and in Earth; The Great I AM thatchanges not: "loved" - not only now, but shall hereafter; not forsome time past only, but for all eternity; not only has He loved,will He love, but with that same love, does He love us now! ETERNAL,EVERLASTING . . . Oh, I cannot fathom such wonderful love, can you?

Vile and sinful are we; transgressors from the womb - and yet,openly and through the evidence of the spirit: we are loved "with aneverlasting love"! Get this . . . God's love for you and me was fromeverlasting. That means that it didn't commence in time with ourfaith, repentance and new obedience(although they were the fruits ofhis love for us and our response to such love). But His love wasfrom all eternity and through the eternal everlasting covenant madewith mankind on the person of Jesus Christ. His love will endure toeverlasting without any variation or change. Is that a powerful WORDor what?

He goes on...

". . . therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee;"

Imagine if you will, being in captivity, and working your fingers tothe bone. Imagine being in a heathen land that wars against yourspirit where the daily decadence of the sin-nature is all about youenticing you to sin and live a life that is unpleasing to the God ofyour youth - let alone the God of your parents and your parentsparents. This is where the children of Israel were; in a state ofnatural man; in the grips of Satan's works of iniquity; out of thepit wherein is no water, the horrible pit, the mire and clay. Howdevastating and cold; how dark it must have been.

It was for them, and all of us today who are in a similar world ofdarkness, that Christ came. Can you see the parallel? From thedepths of captivity in a world that beats a pathway to our heart'sdoor on a daily basis, testing and taunting us to sin - came Christ- the evidence of God's eternal Love! Oh how He loves you and me!This is Our Father's act regarding the work of conversion and theinfluence of His Divine Grace. Even through the supposed weaknessesof mankind, especially through the supposed weaknesses of mankind -He draws us through the power of His Holy Spirit. It is this lovethat draws our soul to Christ, and manifests that love to othersthrough the declarations of His grace in our lives. Lives set freefrom our once miserable "captive state"; lives of despair andcertain death and destruction, to the everlasting freedom of theGospel.

It doesn't matter what you are going through today. Your heritage inChrist is to experience God's everlasting love right where you are.Even now, in the midst of some of the deepest sorrow and the darkestmost desperate times of your life . . .through His precious HolySpirit He is drawing you to Him. What will your answer be? Repeatthe following verses as your prayer this morning will you? Mean itfrom your heart.

Out of my bondage, sorrow and night, Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;Into thy freedom, gladness and light, Jesus, I come to thee; Out ofmy sickness into thy health, Out of my want and into thy wealth, Outof my sin and into thyself, Jesus, I come to thee.

Out of my shameful failure and loss, Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;Into the glorious gain of thy cross, Jesus, I come to thee; Out ofearth's sorrows into thy balm, Out of life's storms and into thycalm, Out of distress to jubilant psalm, Jesus, I come to thee.

It's not easy to be joyful during hard times. At times like these, I believe the Lord is saying to us: "Rejoice in the Lord- today!" One of the most joyful people I've ever met was a Native American woman from Arizona. She grew up in a large and terribly poor family. Still, they shared everything they had with their friends and neighbors. When they were down to their last five dollars, her father would always say: "Let's have a party!" He'd spend that five dollars on ice cream and invite all the neighbors to come over. By God's grace, her family always had all that they needed. Even in the pits of depression, we, too, can throw a party. We are the children of a loving God! We can rejoice in the sure hope that God will get us through any trial or tribulation. Joy is a decision. We need to decide to rejoice today, whatever our circumstances or feelings.Ask the Lord to release the Spirit of Joy within you. Decide to do things that are rejoicing (i.e. have a party, give gifts, dance, sing, etc.). Be persistent. Make the following the foundation stone of your growth in Christian joy: personal daily prayer, repentance, friendships, service to others, leisure, play, and a sense of humor.

John Boucher

A 19th-century preacher was once asked to explain the doctrine of election. He said: "Well, brethren, it is this way: The Lord is always voting for a man, and the devil is always voting against him; then the man himself votes, and that breaks the tie.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.Dad surprised us by mowing the lawn at the apartment building! I was worried that he would get hurt, but he didn't. God is so good and I am so thankful for how much he has healed Dad.